Category Archives: International business

The study highlights the importance of promoting and coordinating the collaboration of the different financial actors to address the priority sustainability challenges (sustainable finace). It analyses the different mechanisms that are facilitating the integration of climate change policies and emphasizes the interest of considering the financial sector, in the coordination of policies, such as the implementation of new Laws on Climate Change and Energy Transition.

The study analyses the different mechanisms that are facilitating the integration of sustainability policies in the financial sector driven by the and the Sustainable Development Goals. The G20 and UNEP FI are driving the finance, sustainability and energy nexus through different initiatives which are covered in the work (e.g. TCFD, GFSG, CFSG, PRI, PSI, SSE, PIF). The analysis highlights the importance of other initiatives related to green and climate bonds (green finance), sustainable banking, standards, reporting, indexes, methodologies and sustainability associations.

The inclusion of green securities in the stock market would foster new possibilities for channelling investments, financing debt and opening the door to new sustainable business models nationally and regionally. The analysis highlights the importance of promoting and coordinating the collaboration of the different financial actors to address priority challenges such as climate change, through consulting and involving key actors such as banking regulators, stock exchanges, financial institutions, insurance companies, institutional investors, credit agencies, corporations and relevant ministries.

The work starts with an introductory chapter presenting the need for internationalization of the renewable energy sector, which has a natural development market in Latin America. It then shows the needs, threats and opportunities of the Latin American Electricity Markets. It subsequently proceeds to analyse the sustainable development question in the energy sector, which allows us to enter into the issues associated with climate change and universal access to energy, focusing the analysis on Latin America. From here, the job carries out a critical study of the different renewable energy support mechanisms in the region. Afterwards, it studies the national R&D programs. The writing continues with the agents of the market and the roles and issues they find in their value chain within the region. From it, the book introduces the subject of investment, uncovering the ultimate problem, as well as the origin and destination of the investment flows that Latin America has received in renewable energy. Before finalizing, it analyses the financial instruments used for investment in renewable energy. Finally, the work ends with two real business cases of investment in power plants, which are financially modelled (Project Finance and Project Bonds). As a final conclusion, the writing highlights business opportunities, obstacles and solutions, all influencing the development of renewable energies in the region.

“The book is a vivid example of the great importance of the coordination among different sectors and areas (e.g. financial, monetary, fiscal, political, economic, business, technological, social, etc.), which have different cycles and operations, in order to face the major challenges of mankind today.”

According to news published by the World Meteorological Organization in February 2014, parts of the world have witnessed a series of extreme weather conditions in the first six weeks of 2014, continuing a pattern that was set in December 2013.

Much of the U.S. has experienced cold waves and major winter storms, whilst California remains gripped by drought. The United Kingdom has seen its wettest December-January period on record, with severe, widespread and prolonged flooding. A combination of strong winds, storms and high tides caused damage and flooding in other coastal areas of Europe. There has been unusually heavy snowfall in the Southern Alps. Monthly mean temperatures were extremely high from eastern Mongolia to eastern China. In the Southern hemisphere, Australia, Argentina and Brazil experienced extended heat waves.

In Argentina, the period of unusual heat, which started in December 2013, continued through January and into February, especially in central and northern regions, with a number of local heat records being set. Parts of Brazil experienced the hottest January on record. An energy blackout early February affected six million people and hit eleven states of Brazil, six of which are scheduled to host the 2014 World Cup next June. Apparently a peak of demand caused by a heat wave had the grid down.